Substrate cleaning apparatus and method

Abstract

A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a chamber having a substrate support capable of supporting and rotating a substrate in the chamber. A cleaning solution injector is provided to inject a cleaning solution onto the substrate in the chamber. A portion of the cleaning solution is thrown off the rotating substrate to form a cleaning solution mist in the chamber. A cleaning gas inlet introduces a cleaning gas into the chamber and an outlet exhausts the cleaning solution mist and cleaning gas from the chamber. This reduces the formation of residues from the cleaning solution mist on the substrate.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising: 
       a chamber;  
       a substrate support capable of supporting and rotating a substrate in the chamber;  
       a cleaning solution injector capable of injecting a cleaning solution onto the substrate in the chamber, thereby forming a cleaning solution mist in the chamber, the cleaning solution injector being located at a sidewall of the chamber;  
       a cleaning gas inlet capable of introducing a cleaning gas into the chamber, the cleaning gas inlet being located at a top of the chamber; and  
       an outlet capable of exhausting the cleaning gas end the cleaning solution mist.  
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning gas inlet is above the substrate. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the outlet is at the level of or below the substrate. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning gas inlet introduces a total volume of the cleaning gas into the chamber that is greater than the total volume of the cleaning solution mist and cleaning gas exhausted by the outlet. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning gas inlet introduces a total volume of the cleaning gas into the chamber that is substantially equal to the total volume of the cleaning solution mist and cleaning gas exhausted by the outlet. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the cleaning gas comprises nitrogen. 
     
     
       7. A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising: 
       a chamber;  
       a substrate support in the chamber, the substrate support capable of supporting a substrate and rotating the substrate in the chamber;  
       an upper cleaning solution injector nozzle, located at a sidewall of the chamber and higher than the substrate the injector nozzle capable of injecting a cleaning solution into the chamber;  
       a lower cleaning solution injector nozzle, located at the sidewall of the chamber and lower than the substrate, the injector nozzle capable of injecting the cleaning solution into the chamber;  
       a cleaning gas inlet located at a top of the chamber, the cleaning gas inlet capable of introducing a cleaning gas into the chamber; and  
       a plurality of outlets located at the sidewall of the chamber, the outlets capable of exhausting from tile chamber, a cleaning solution mist formed from the cleaning solution and the cleaning gas.  
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the cleaning gas inlet introduces a total volume of cleaning gas into the chamber that is greater than the total volume of the cleaning solution mist and cleaning gas exhausted by the outlets. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the cleaning gas inlet introduces a total volume of the cleaning gas into the chamber that is substantially equal to the total volume of the cleaning solution mist and cleaning gas exhausted by the outlets. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the cleaning gas comprises nitrogen. 
     
     
       11. A substrate cleaning apparatus comprising: 
       a chamber;  
       a substrate support capable of supporting and rotating a substrate in the chamber;  
       a cleaning solution injector capable of injecting a cleaning solution onto the substrate in the chamber, thereby forming a cleaning solution mist in the chamber, the cleaning solution injector being located at a sidewall of the chamber;  
       means for introducing a cleaning gas into the chamber from top of the chamber; and  
       means for exhausting the cleaning solution mist and cleaning gas from the chamber.  
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the means for introducing a cleaning gas into the chamber comprises a cleaning gas inlet above the substrate. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the cleaning gas at introduces a total volume of the cleaning gas into the chamber that is greater than the total volume of the cleaning solution mist and cleaning gas exhausted by the exhausting means. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the cleaning gas inlet introduces a total volume of the cleaning gas into the chamber that is greater than the total volume of the cleaning solution mist and cleaning gas exhausted by the exhausting means. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the means for exhausting the cleaning solution mist and cleaning gas from the chamber comprises an outlet at a level that is substantially equal to, or below, the substrate.